Smith strikes out 15 as Bluffton softball beats Thomas Heyward

Courtney Smith knew exactly how to attack Thomas Heyward Academy hitters the last few years.

Most of the Rebels were Smith’s travel softball teammates, so the Bluffton High pitcher was familiar with their strengths and weaknesses.

Smith said she needed a little time to adjust to a new Thomas Heyward lineup Wednesday. But once she did, she was almost unhittable in Bluffton’s 7-1 victory against the visiting Rebels.

“That team they had last year was mostly my old teammates and I knew how they worked,” Smith said. “It was trial and error (Wednesday) — see what works, what they can and can’t hit.”

Smith struck out 15 batters in a complete game. She allowed an unearned run on one hit while going 1 for 3 with an RBI double at the plate.

Bluffton (2-0) and Thomas Heyward became heated non-region rivals the last few seasons. The Bobcats are a perennial playoff team and THA reached consecutive SCISA championship series, winning a state title in 2011. The teams played three one-run games last season, with Bluffton winning 4-3 and the Rebels taking a pair 1-0 and 12-11.

While Bluffton brings back an experienced team, the Rebels (1-1) fielded a lineup loaded with freshmen. Their top player from last season, pitcher Ashlie Layman, is off to a 3-0 start as a freshman at the University of South Carolina Beaufort.

“I used to know the whole team,” said Bluffton senior catcher Whitney Morrell, a North Carolina Central signee. “They were good competition and it was sad to see them go.”

The young Rebels managed a brief lead against Smith, scratching out a run in the third inning on a hit and an error.

Pitcher Selice Daley shut down the Bobcats until the fifth. She went six innings, allowing six runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and four walks.

“There wasn’t the same fire that there’s been in the past,” Bluffton coach Bill Ball said of the latest edition of the rivalry. “Maybe our slow start had a little bit to do with that.”

Smith tied it at 1 in the bottom of the third, doubling to left field to score Morganne Parker.

Kim Kerby launched a three-run homer to left-center for a 4-1 Bluffton lead in the fifth. Her shot followed a double by freshman Lilli Otten and an error that allowed Morrell to reach base.

CC George, courtesy running for Smith, scored on a wild pitch and Amanda Dart singled in Mikyla Houghlan to make it 6-1 at the end of the fifth. Morrell scored on a throwing error in the sixth.

Smith struck out the last five batters she faced and 10 in the final four innings.